AT Happiness: Shaving Weight

Cutting down on weight any way I can.

One of the obvious concerns you have while thru-hiking is the amount of weight you are carrying.  We all start out with more weight than we need.  Primarily because we are all novice thru-hikers.   One of the commonalities I found with my fellow hikers was that we are all carrying too much food.

Since everything you have to live off is on our backs you get weight obsessed.   Hence the picture of my sawed off hair brush and tiny little tooth brush.  Neels Gap is the first major dumping point for excess weight.  I dumped 5 pounds there, another hiker over 15 pounds.  Most of us are aiming for 35 pound packs including food and water, I’ve met people starting out with over 50 pounds.  I’m around 35 right now and am looking to lose a few more once I get out of the Smoky Mountains and can dump my winter gear.  That will be a happy day my friends.  – Rev Kane